Archery sight



Eeb. 20, 1951 B. E. FREDRICKSON ARCHERY SIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 23, 1949 IN V EN TOR. BER 71E .ZZPEDfi/OASO/V B Y Patented Feb. 20,1951 UNH'ED STATES PATENT QFFiQE ARGHERY SIGHT Bert E. Fredrickson,Green Bay, Wis. Application February 23, 1949, Serial No. 77,881

Claims. 1

Sights for archers bows are well known and frequently include a sightbase including front and rear sights, the base being movable verticallyalong the bow to provide a plurality of sight settings. As is wellknown, the range of the bow is accomplished by tilting the bow forwardlyor rearwardly to decrease or increase the range. With known forms ofsights wherein the base includes front and rear sights, the sight basetilts with the bow, whereby at extremeranges it is impossible to alignthe front and rear sights with the target.

With the foregoing in View, it is an object of my invention to providean improved archery sight including means for maintaining a single lineof sight throughout all sight settings for a given target with the bowtilted at angles commensurate with the various sight settings.

A further object is to provide in such a sight as was mentioned above afixed arcuate track on the bow, means mounting the sight base on thetrack in fixed angular relation thereto, and means for adjusting thesight base along the track through a plurality of sight settings,wherein the angular relation of the sight base to the bow isautomatically tilted to a difierent angle at each sight setting.

ther objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theinvention, combination and arrangement of the several parts, all ofwhich will be readily understood by those skilled in the art uponreference to the attached drawings in connection with the followingspecincation, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the sight according to the invention,showing the same applied to a bow;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof, parts being broken away and shownin transverse vertical section substantially on the plane of the line2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the planeof the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure i is a longitudinal vertical sectional View; I

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the planeof the line 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an elevational view on a reduced scale, showing the entirebow in use.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like references havebeen usedthroughout the 2. several views to designate like parts, itdesignates a hand grip for a bow; and It and i2 designate, respectively,upper and lower bow sections detachably secured to opposite ends of thehand grip H! by any suitable means, such as the screws [-3. A bow stringM is connected to the free ends of the sections H and 22 in any suitablemanner for the projection of an arrow 15, Figure 6. An intermediateportion of one side of the hand grip it is formed with a recess itincluding a laterally-directed dovetail slot H. A slide i3 is later allyslidable in the slot ii and has mounted thereon an arrow rest It of anysuitable form. A bolt 29 is operatively secured to the slide 58 andincludes a shank threaded through the hand grip It, A free end 2 lof thebolt extends laterally out of the opposite side of the hand grip and isformed to provide any suitable tool-engaging means, such as a slot,whereby to provide convenient means for turning the bolt. Obviously,upon turning of the bolt, the slide, together with the arrow rest i9, ismovable laterally in the slot ii to provide diilerentlaterally-adjusted: positions of the arrow rest. Instead of the dovetailslot, a cylindrical hole may be bored in the hand grip It! to receive acylindrical support for the arrow rest 19.

Above the arrow rest it, and on the same side of the hand grip it, thehand grip is formed with a vertically-directed recess 22 which iscovered by a plate 23 secured to the hand grip inany suitable manner, asby the screws i l. The plate 23 is formed with a vertically-disposed,rearwardly-directedarcuat-e slot 25 opening into the recessZE, the arcof the slot 25 being determined by a radius ascertained by the distancefrom the eye of the archer to the sighting device when the bow is drawn,which is approximately 25 inches. In the embodiment illustrated, theupper end of the slot 25 is defined by a radius disposed at right anglesto the long. axis of the hand grip it, whereby the slot 22 is downwardlyand rearwardly directed throughout its length. Those portions of theplate 23 defining the slot 25 are undercut and formed to provideopposed, longitudinally-extending series of transverse rack teeth 263. Alatch dog 27 has outer surface portions formed with latch teeth 28 whichportions and teeth are complementary to the undercut portions and rackteeth 26 of the plate 23. ilhus, with the teeth 26 and 28 interengaged,movement of the latch dog 2'! along the slot 25 is impossible. As bestseen Figure 2, latch dog 2? is formed with two or morelaterally-directed passages 29 slidably receiving pins 36 fixed to thepressure plate 3| disposed inwardly of the latch dog in the recess 22.Expansive springs 32 surround the pins 30, whereby to provide means forloading the latch dog 21 into engagement with the rack teeth 28 so as toreleasably lock the dog in an adjusted position along the slot 25. Asight base 33 is rigidly secured to the latch dog 27 in any suitablemanner in fixed transverse angular relation to the slot 25. The uppersurface of the base 33 has fixed thereon in any suitable manner, anysuitable front and rear sights 34 and 35. In the embodiment illustrated,the sights 34 and 35 may be substantially identical to the correspondingportions shown and described in my copending application, Serial No.783,339, filed October 31, 1947. In this connection, it is to beunderstood that the particular front and rear sights provided on thebase 33 form no part of the present invention, as it is contemplated touse any suitable front and rear sight-providing means on the base. I

It is obvious from the foregoing that the stem Ml connecting the base 33to the dog 2'! mounts the same in laterally-outwardly-spaced relation tothe plate 23. Thus, stem may be threaded in dog 2'! and locked in aselected adjusted position by lock nuts 43'. Also, by moving the base 33laterally inwardly, the dog 2! is disengaged from the rack teeth 26,whereby a rapid vertical adjustment of the base 33 in the slot 25 ispossible. Likewise, upon release of the base 33, the springs 32 willforce the dog 2'! outwardly into engagement with the rack teeth 25,whereby to releasably lock the base 33 in a selected sight setting. Tofacilitate the setting of the sight base 33, the plate 23 and/oradjacent portions of the hand grip iii are provided with any suitablesight scale l4, Figure 1. Also, it should be noted that the base 33 isformed with a recess 36 in which a disc 31 is pivotally secured by a setscrew or pin 33 which provides a substantially vertical axis for thebase 33. Thus, although the base 33 is in fixed transverse angularrelation to the slot 25, the disc 3'! and pivot 38 provide means fordeflecting the base 33 laterally to permit deflection settings of thesight base. The base may be locked in any suitably-selected deflectionsetting by means of a set screw extending through the base 33 andengaging the periphery of the disc 37. The head 39 of the set screw maybe knurled to permit ready adjustment of the same.

In use, Figure 6 shows a line of sight from the archers eye to a target48, the line of sight being indicated at 4'1. However, the particularsight setting shown in Figure 6 may not be the correct setting forhitting the target 46, whereby it will be necessary to tilt the bowforwardly or rearwardly. Thus, the archer changes the sight setting bypressing inwardly on the base 33 and moving the same and the dog 21longitudinally of the slot 25 to the desired new setting. In view of thefixed angular relation of the base 33 to the slot 25, this movement willchange the angular relation of the base 33 to the bow, particularly thehand grip 13. However, the archer merely tilts the bow forwardly orrearwardly by raising the arm holding the bow until the front and rearsights 34 and 35 are again lined up on the target 45 along the line ofsight 41.

The arm is pivoted on the shoulder socket, the head and eye 45 remain inthe same position and the arrow 15 is drawn to the same point at allranges with the same pull.

In the past, sights have been made for vertical adjustment along thebow, but such sights maintain a fixed angle with the bow at all sightsettings, whereby the angle of the normal line of sight through thefront and rear sights increases or decreases relative to the line ofsight 4'! (which is parallel to the ground line 48) depending upon whichway the bow is tilted. This necessitates moving of the head, tilting ofthe bow-holding wrist and/or varying the direction of pull or the pointto which the arrow is drawn for each sight setting. Hence, uniformity ofshooting form is lost and inaccuracy results.

However, in my device and within the limits of the slot 25, the sightbase 33 is maintained parallel to the line of sight 4? and in the sameposition relative thereto, irrespective of the sight setting or angle ofthe bow required for each setting. Uniformity in shooting form is thusassured. Thus, regardless of the position or sight setting of thedevice, the archer uses the same line of sight for any given target andmerely tilts the bow, as aforesaid, to vary the range of the shot. Thecurvature of the slot 25 automatically tilts the sighting device suchthat t sight is properly in line as the bow tilts backwardly [or greaterrange and forwardly for a lesser range. This arrangement permits thearchers head to remain in a fixed position and permits him to draw thearrow 15 to the same relative position at all times, the sole changebeing the tilting of the bow to re-establish the line of sight with thenew sight setting.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same issusceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limitmyself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove exceptas hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In an archery bow, a sight base, a hand grip, said grip being formedwith a substantially vertically-disposed arcuate track, the arc of saidtrack being defined by a radius determined by the distance from the eyeof the archer to the sight base, said base having front and rear sights,means mounting said base on said track, said base being disposed at afixed angle relative to said track, said front and rear sights beingfixed on said base, said sight base being movable upwardly anddownwardly on said track for various sight settings, said bow beingtiltable downwardly and upwardly in accordance with such sight settings,and the angular relation of said sight base to said track being suchthat said front and rear sights are in alignment on a target with saidbow tilted to a degree commensurate with the range designated by eachsetting of said base on said track.

2. In an archery bow, a sight base, a hand grip, said grip being formedwith a substantially vertically-disposed arcuate track, the arc of saidtrack being defined by a radius determined by the distance from the eyeof the archer to the sight base, said base having front and rear sights,means mounting said base on said track, said base being disposed at afixed angle relative to said track, said front and rear sights beingfixed on said base, said sight base being movable upwardly anddownwardly on said track for various sight settings, said bow beingtiltable downwardly and upwardly in accordance with such sight settings,the angular relation of said sight base to said track being such thatsaid front and rear sights are in alignment on a target with said bowtilted to a degree commensurate with the range desighated by eachsetting of said base on said track, said track being formed with aplurality of rack teeth, said mounting means being formed with a latchhaving at least one complementary latch tooth, and means normallyloading said latch tooth into engagement with said rack teeth to locksaid base in an adjusted position on said track.

3. In an archery bow, a sight base, a hand grip, said grip being formedwith a substantially vertically-disposed arcuate track, the arc of saidtrack being defined by a radius determined by the distance from the eyeof the archer to the sight base, said base having front and rear sights,means mounting said base on said track, said base being disposed at afixed angle relative to said track, said front and rear sights beingfixed on said base, said sight base being movable upwardly anddownwardly on said track for various sight settings, said bow beingtiltable downwardly and upwardly i accordance with such sight settings,the angular relation of said sight base to said track being such thatsaid front and rear sights are in alignment on a target with said howtilted to a degree commensurate with the range designated by eachsetting of said base on said track, said mounti g means and track beingformed with normally-engaged complementary interengaging means forlocking said base in a selected sight setting relative to said track,and means for permitting quick disengagement of said interengaging meansto thereby allow rapid adjustment of said base along said track.

4. In an archery bow, a hand grip, said grip being formed with alongitudinally-directed recess, a plate secured to said hand grip acrosssaid recess, said plate being formed with a verticallyextending arcuateslot opening into said recess, said plate being formed with undercutedge portions defining opposite sides of said slot, said edge portionseach being formed with a vertical series of transverse rack teethproviding latch detents, a latch dog in said recess, said dog havingsurface portions and latch teeth respectively comple mentary to saidedge portions of said plate and said rack teeth, spring meansoperatively associated with said dog and loading the same and said latchteeth into engagement with said rack teeth whereby to releasably locksaid dog in selected positions along said slot, a sight base, meansoperatively connecting said base to said dog in fixed transverse angularrelatio to said slot and with said base disposed in laterallyoutwardly-spaced relation to said plate, said base and dog beinglaterally inwardly movable relative to said plate to disengage saidteeth of said dog and plate and permit rapid adjustment of said basealong said slot through a plurality of sight settings, front and rearsights on said base, said bow being tiltable upwardly and downwardly forranges commensurate with said sight settings, and said slot and basecooperating to provide a single line of sight through said front andrear sights for each sight setting on a fixed target and correspondingtilted position of said bow. 5. In an archery bow, a hand grip, saidgrip being formed with a longitudinally-directed recess, a plate securedto said hand grip across said recess, said plate being formed with averticallyextending arcuate slot opening into said recess, said platebeing formed with undercut edge portions defining opposite sides of saidslot, said edge portions each being formed with a vertical series oftransverse rack teeth providing latch detents, a latch dog in saidrecess, said dog having surface portions and latch teeth respectivelycomplementary to said edge portions of said plate and said rack teeth,spring means operatively associated with said dog and loading the sameand said latch teeth into engagement with said rack teeth whereby toreleasably lock said dog in selected positions along said slot, a sightbase, means operatively connecting said base to said dog in fixedtransverse angular relation to said slot and with said base disposed inlaterally outwardly-spaced relation to said plate, said base and dogbeing laterally inwardly movable relative to said plate to disengagesaid teeth of said dog and plate and permit rapid adjustment of saidbasealong said slot through a plurality of sight settings, front andrear sights on said base, said bow being tiltable upwardly anddownwardly for ranges commensurate with said sight settings, said slotand base cooperating to provide a single line of sight through saidfront and rear sights for each sight setting on a fixed target andcorresponding tilted position of said bow, and said means operativelyconnecting said base to said dog including means for traversing sai baselaterally for deflection settings.

BERT E. FREDRICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 835,112 Pender et a1 Nov. 6, 19061,340,996 Williams May 25, 1920 1,961,517 Klopsteg June 5, 19341,982,489 Wilcox Nov. 27, 1934 2,163,503 Tate June 20, 1939 2,351,103Brown June 13, 1944

